1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for pre-assembling a pre-loaded connector and cover and terminating a multi-conductor flat flexible cable with the connector.
2. The Prior Art
The present invention is concerned with the pre-assembly and application of multi-terminal connectors to multi-conductor flat cable. The connectors of the type used in the present invention are of the type generally disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,820,055. Each connector comprises a housing having a plurality of through passages extending between a cable receiving face and a mating face with a like plurality of terminals each mounted in a respective passage with a mating portion directed towards the mating face and an insulation piercing portion, formed by a pair of tines defining a slot therebetween, projecting from the cable receiving face. A cover applied to the connector housing encloses the cable and the terminals at the termination point. The terminals also include a latching portion, at the free end of each tine, which engages the cover to secure it to the connector housing across the entire width thereof.
In the past the connectors of the above described type have been applied in a two step assembly with the connector first being applied to the cable and then, in a separate independent step, the cover being applied to the connector and simultaneously being latched thereto. Examples of such apparatus for making such a two step application can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,148,130. The present invention intends to obviate many of the difficulties accompanying the above described methods by providing a machine which will pre-assemble a cover with a pre-loaded connector housing and then terminate a cable with the connector in a single step.